A Most Intelligent YA Book

Lately I’ve been fortunate to find good books to read and there have been some stories that grab my attention so much, I’ve had to write a blog post to share my joy. I’m always happy to find books that make the hours I spend reading them worth my while. You know how they say once in a while you come across a book that totally captivates you? And truth be told, I’ve come across quite a few. But, dear readers, I’ve stumbled upon a gem of a novel that I cannot keep to myself a moment longer. Ladies and gentlemen, readers of all ages, I bring you PROPHECY!

Debut author Ellen Oh has crafted a sensible, captivating tale with a protagonist who is smart, sassy, and deadly. Kira is not only a girl with yellow eyes, she is a fearless demon slayer, the only female worthy of the king’s army and bodyguard to the crown prince. But there’s more to this femme fatale than meets the eye. She is sensitive, though she’ll never show it and if you are privy to her sweet side, you’d better keep it to yourself because no one will believe you and what’s worse, you’ll be branded a liar. But Kira has a problem. With the bodies of dead kings piling up and traitors revealed, she knows there is a demon invasion lurking beneath the thin layer of the kingdom just waiting for the right time to come to light and as she is the kingdom’s only demon slayer, she is expected to get rid of them, solve an ancient prophecy and protect her cousin the crown prince even with the threat of death hanging over her head from her uncle the king who hates her with a passion. As if she didn’t have enough on her plate, the meddling queen has decided it is time that Kira settle down and has arranged her betrothal to none other than Lord Shin Bo Hyun whom she despises.

This book was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. I cheered, I cried, and at times tried to reach in to strangle a few characters. After all, I was there watching the story unfold. How could I not get involved! But then reality kicked in and I realized that Kira has got this thing down and yes, I was happy she knew what to do even if it took some time. There was no hemming-and-hawing in this book. Kira kicked butt. Those fight scenes were amazing! I cheered on the sidelines like a teenager at her first football game.

PROPHECY is an action-packed, thrilling, un-put-down-able-until-the-very-last-page-novel. This is Asian fantasy at its finest, a Korean tale of danger, mystery, angst, mythology, and suspense all wrapped nicely into an adventurous tale not to be missed. I’m definitely looking forward to book 2 of this fantastic epic fantasy titled WARRIOR, which will be available in 2014.